The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-20
THE FOREIGN MISSION FIELD.

of the Christian Church.
| Central Christian Church was filed to over
| flowing yesterday morning. at the meeting of the
| Foreign Missionary Society. DR.. Isaac Erret,
| who has been president of the society since it's
organization in 1875 and widely known as the
| editor of the Christian Standard. was in the
chair. The devotional exercises continued until
10 o'clock, Revs. Milton Wells. of Wisconsin; j.
| A. Garrison, OF Missouri; A. A. Gilbert. of
| Illinois; d. r. Lucas. of Iowa, and F. M. Raines.
of Kansas. participating. Brief talks were then
| given by Rev. Sweeney, DR.. Errett and Rev. l..
| II. Jameson
| The standing committees were announced by
the president, the chairmen being as follows:
| Prayer for missions, Rev. Jabez Hall, chairman;
obituaries Rev. John Shackleford. Kentucky.
| chairman; China. India and Japan missions,
Rev. j. II. Garrison. Missouri. chairman; Per-
| sian missions, Gen. F. NJ Drake, Iowa. chair
| man; English and Scandinavian missions. Rev.
| j. L. Toof, chairman; Turkish missions, Rev z.
| T. Sweeney. chairman; missionary intelligence,
| Revs. r. T. Mathews, Kentucky; A. j. Marvin.
! Ohio A. n. Gilbert, Illinois; w. B. Thompson,
| Michigan A. 6. Fisher, Wisconsin; W. f. Rich
| ardson, Michigan, and Mrs. c. II. Pearre,
| Indiana
The society then heard an exhaustive report
from the board Of managers, which was pre-
sented by the general secretary. 1t gave a
| sketch of the condition of each of the missions
of the society. which scattered all over the
world. The net increase of membership through
! the missions is 502 AS to the financial aid in
| the work, the board said
| 1.-THE Sunday schools contributed $10.513 0S
| during the year. against Sc. 03o last year. The
! superintendents resolved to do twice as much as
| ever before. In many cases they succeeded.
| Some schools gave four times as much as the
| Uoo hnfn fA GOV mi aQ
| The children were delighted with the idea of
helping to send the gospel to the heather. They
needed no coaxing nor urging The spirit OF
missions Is spreading among the children. II the
superintendents and teachers will feed and foster
| it, it will grow with surprising r&pidity
Already more schools contribute than churches
| and rule they contribute larger amounts.
| This is hopeful fact the Sunday school of
! this generation will be the church of the next
| We may therefore confidently expect the next
| generation to excel this In liheraiity. Next
year il is proposed to raise 500 00Ofrom the Sun
| day schools alone The receipts for the year
amount to SAT. 1877 So OF this sum Sc, 1873 SO was
| received from tho sale of stocks and bonds and
| notes. leaving $40 $50 35 the amount contrib
uted by churches, Sunday schools and individu-
| ais. Last year received $50. 77O27 from
| baquests. This year we received nothing.
! Aside from beqnests. the receipts this year are
| $7.147 sc in excess of last year. An effort has
been made to secure subscriptions in addition to
| the regular collections The present system OF
collections is a very precarious support fsrs6ch
a work the society is conducting. rainy
lions so per cent. The collections must be sup
plemented by personal subscriptions . con-
venient record for such subscriptions has been
prepared and will be sent to all who are
willing to canvass their congregations.
Chapels needed in Copenhagen, SMYRNA,
Marash, Checharshambeh and Constantinople.
hospital is needed in China In Marasa the
Disciples meet in a stable. The services are fire.
quentlv interrupted by the brayine of the don
KEYS. The brethren in Texas, under the efficient
leadership of Mrs. A. A. johnson and Mrs r.
W. Allen. of Dallas. propose to buy lot and
build a chapel in Constantinople. The commit
tee advanced 81. 600 TO pay for the lot, Mrs.
johnson pledeing to reimburse the society by
the time of the convention. Texas will have
the honor of building the first chapel for
mission in the Turkish Empire. It is scarcely
necessary to say here that there can be no great
and permanent prosperity in stables or in halls"
The report was referred to the several appropri
ate committees.
Rev. NJ. W. Green, OF Australia, was then in
troduced. and spoke of the work that CONT
nent. He said this mission field was larger til an
the United States. with a cosmopolitan, English
speaking population of 4, coo, 900 people. There
are 5000 communicates of the church among
these. increase from 200 in 1862. Twelve
American missionaries have ministered to these
people, but America has never supported any
of the missions nor the missionaries He asked
that aid be extended from this country. At the
close of his remarks the society adjourned for
the morning
In tho afternoon, the attendance had be-
come so large that Central Church would not
session
in the First Presbyterian Church. The opening
exercises were conducted by Prof John Shack
leford. of Lexington, Ky. The report of the
treasurer, w. S. Dickinson, of Cincinnati,
then heard The balance on hand, Oct I5
1886. was 1871. 49, the receipts for the year end
ing Oct. Is. 1887. were s47 75z. IS; the dsburse-
ments for the same period SAT. 597 70; the
balance on hand Oct. 15 1887. 1891 80. .
Officers for the ensuing year were elected
follows:
President-Isaac Errett of Cincinnati
NJ
and c. c. Deweese.
Recording ssecrstary-C W; Talbot
Treasurer-W. s. Dickinson.
Auditor. C. Wright.
Rev. George T. Smith. of Japan, was intro
duced and spoke of the work in that country.
He has been in charge of the missions there for
four years. and is now home for few months
vacation. He described the physical festu of
the country and the manners and customs of
the people. The latter was illustrated by means
of boy dressed in Japanese costume and by
country. japan was opened to civilization by
the Americans. who made the first commercial
treaty with the government in 1881 and secured
the privilege of location in five cities
in 1859. Americans are more highly
esteemed than any other foreigners
There was opposition to opening the country
to foreigners. because the soil was considered
sacred and rebellion arose in 1868. but as it
was found that foreigners could not be driven
out. the country went to the other extreme. For
twenty years they have been adopting Western
civilization. They have changed their army,
navy. police courts aud medical practice. They
have adopted the American system of newspa-
pers. schools and banks. Missionaries have
been working ever since the country opened.
In the first seven years the only result of all
their labors convert At the end of
thirteen years the Presbyterians had one
church and ten converts. Now
the Protestant churches have $50
churches and $4,000 converts OF these
churches, thirty-seven are self supporting
There one hundred missionaries in the
trv and $50 600 Buddhist priests, and yet the
rissia riQ intai md fha
priests all believe that Christianity will win the
country. It is probable that by 1900 the mis-
sionaries will be withdrawn from japan. and the
native church will be left to carry the work.
The mission of the Christian Church has been
very successful. 1t has two churches and has
m ade over sixty converts in four years work.
Mr. Smith will return japan in March next,
taking other missionaries with him.
Reports of the various committees were next